


For I shall already have forgotten you

by AugustMoon259



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Attempt at Humor, Character Development, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Cross-Posted on Tumblr, Cross-Posted on Wattpad, Dreams, F/F, F/M, Fanfiction, Hetalia Countries Using Human Names, Human & Country Names Used (Hetalia), Hurt/Comfort, Magic, Manga & Anime, Memory Loss, Multi, Multiple Countries, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Nyotalia, Photography, Reincarnation, Reverse Harem, Temporary Character Death
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-14
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:54:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 12,297
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24714151
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AugustMoon259/pseuds/AugustMoon259
Summary: In a world where you're not needed, alone, and forgotten, what is there left to do but disappear?Canada is gone.The countries have given up looking for him.The appearance of a girl with strikingly familiar violet eyes 18 years later changes it all.
Relationships: (implied) Canada x World, America/Female Canada (Hetalia), Canada/America, Canada/England (Hetalia), Canada/Everyone, Canada/France (Hetalia), Canada/Various, Female Canada/England (Hetalia), Female Canada/France (Hetalia), Female Canada/World
Comments: 10
Kudos: 70
Collections: Stories Featuring Canada x World Pairing





	1. Prologue

Canada was lonely. 

It was another day for a world meeting and another day where he was ignored. At least this time no one had sat on him (was he really such a comfortable cushion?). 

He didn’t know what was worse: the blatant disregard for his presence or (when the other countries actually noticed him) being mistaken for America. Maybe both options were equally distasteful. Not much was accomplished at these world meetings anyway but he kept going to them, fueled in part by his duty as a representative of his country, and a smaller and more hopeful part that perhaps that day could be the day he was finally noticed. It never happened. 

Canada couldn’t wrap his head around why the other countries mistook him for America so often. Sure, they were the same height, and they both had blonde-ish hair, and they both wore glasses and military uniforms, and...Okay, so he and America looked alike, but Canada’s hair was more orange and wavy! He has a winter coat, not that bomber jacket America likes! His eyes are violet, not blue! The most glaring difference between the two of them though is obviously Kumajirou. Kumajirou is Canada’s polar bear companion who he always carries around with him in his arms. The only thing America carries around are his burgers. How exactly the other countries were dense enough not to see Kumajirou was beyond Canada. 

Canada sighed and decided that today he had had enough. He stood up from his chair and left the meeting room (not that anyone tried to stop him). 

It was the first time in a while that Canada simply just gave up. Usually he’d attempt to at least stay longer at the meetings, but today his mood was even worse than normal. Every bad thought compounded in his mind. Yesterday, Cuba thought he was America again and yelled at him. The day before that, England, who wanted to punish America for being an idiot, forced Canada to eat his awful cooking. The day before that one, America forgot to meet with Canada for one of their usual hangouts (America would just drag him to some fast food place anyway). 

Upon his arrival at the hotel he was staying at, Canada collapsed in his bed. He was angry, but now he was exhausted. Canada felt like there was a heavy pressure in his head. His old intrusive thoughts came to him unbidden. Why was he here? Why did he keep trying? No one appreciated him anymore. No one needed him anymore. There was a time when he was a colony, when he was something new, something valued, treasured, and fought for. Canada was nothing now. 

He gave so much of himself to others. Still a young country, he had fought and bled through wars both big and small. Wasn’t he a nation too? Didn’t he deserve to be acknowledged by others? Why should he be forgotten?

Canada hated himself. He hated his timidness. He hated his aggression. He hated speaking up. He hated not speaking up. Most of all, he hated being in America’s shadow. 

Young Canada was overshadowed by America: bright, charismatic, and special America. England took Canada in, but it was clear much of his attention was on America. Even when America left England, brashly fighting and declaring his independence, Canada stayed by England’s side. It hurt Canada not to be acknowledged by England, who he fought for. It hurt Canada that France, his first guardian, forgot about him too. It hurt Canada when America ignored him in favor of boasting because he was “the hero”. Does Canada matter to America, France, and England? Did he ever?

Hot, salty tears came out of Canada’s eyes, dripping down to his chin. He curled up into a ball, holding Kumajirou close to him. _I wish I could just disappear entirely. This world doesn’t need me. No one needs me. No one._

Canada closed his eyes.

* * *

America stretched his arms after coming out of the meeting room. 

_Ugh, these meetings are always so boring_. That’s why he always tried his best to make them more interesting! He was the hero after all! The strongest and most powerful country! If it annoyed the other nations, America didn’t really care. Besides, he knew that in their minds, they were secretly hoping for the meeting to be over with. They’d probably rather be back home than having to be stuck in a room with other countries for hours on end. 

If he was being honest with himself, there was another reason he was glad to be out of there. Sometime during the meeting, maybe halfway through or later, America felt that something was wrong. No, it wasn’t his stomach acting up after eating too many burgers again or drinking too much coke. It wasn’t anything concerning his country, thank goodness. Rather, America felt like something (or someone) was missing. He had checked the room for missing occupants. There were empty chairs for the countries that never made it, clustered together, but one chair in particular caught his attention, between England’s and France’s. Hm, was that chair always there? Strange how America never noticed it before. 

Outwardly he was his normal goofy self, but this conundrum stuck with America for the rest of the meeting. 

He called out to France and England, who were bickering with each other (typical). 

“Dudes, did you notice that totally empty chair between the two of you? Does someone sit there?” 

“What are you on about now, you bloody idiot? No one sits there! It’s probably just there to keep some distance between me and the frog. Not that it helps,” England grumbled. 

“Oui, I have seen no one in that chair today.”

America frowned briefly before putting on his regular smile. “Well, whatever dudes. There’s a triple cheeseburger calling my name so I’m out of here!”

He gives them a two finger salute and runs away, ignoring England’s look of disgust. 

Once he’s out of the door, America slows down. He racked his brain for all the countries he knows attended the world conferences. _Okay, so there’s China, Russia….Germany, Japan, Italy….Spain, Switzerland….Damn it, who am I missing? Wait, wasn’t there a country to the north of me? Who is it…? Oh yeah! Canada!_

America snaps his fingers after his realization. Canada! How could he forget? He’d been meaning to call Mattie after the meeting and hang out with him, to apologize for being a no show a couple of days ago. 

_What’s his room again? Uh, 35? 82? 49! That’s it!_

As quick as he could, America rushed to the hotel where he and the other countries were staying. When he made it to the hotel, he hurried to the elevator and pressed the button for the fourth floor. As the elevator rose higher and higher, America’s anxiety climbed. Why did he feel like he needed to urgently find Canada? The nagging feeling in his gut would not go away. 

America breathed a sigh of relief when the elevator stopped and opened its doors on the fourth floor. _Finally!_ He ran past eight rooms before making it to Canada’s. He pounded on the door but no response came. _Weird. Mattie gets annoyed after just the first knock._ America continued his assault before deciding to throw caution to the wind. He broke down the door and rushed inside.

There was no one present. Not Canada, not his weird bear Kumajirou, nothing. America checked the bathroom; Canada wasn’t there. If Canada wasn’t in the hotel room, then maybe he could search for some clue as to where Canada went. America rifled through the drawers and cabinets only to come up empty. He finally checked the bed. He noticed something that he hadn’t before in his panic. Lying on the pillows were Canada’s glasses. _What? Mattie’s glasses? But he never forgets them! He’s way too careful for that._ America checked the bed again and saw a lump underneath the blankets. He lifted the blankets, only to find Canada’s smartphone. 

Pressing the power button, nothing happened, so America waited longer as the phone booted up. After a few seconds, the phone’s screen shifted to a blank white, devoid of anything except a simple note taking app. America’s fingers trembled as he opened the app. One word glared back at him.

_Goodbye._

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title of the story is a line taken from Pablo Neruda's "If You Forget Me".
> 
> Well, now  
> If little by little you stop loving me  
> I shall stop loving you  
> Little by little  
> If suddenly you forget me  
> Do not look for me  
> For I shall already have forgotten you
> 
> If you think it long and mad the wind of banners that passes through my life  
> And you decide to leave me at the shore of the heart where I have roots  
> Remember  
> That on that day, at that hour, I shall lift my arms  
> And my roots will set off to seek another land


	2. New Friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait. Writing kinda took a backseat to other things I've been doing, like working on a fandom wiki.

Madeline Williams is a normal teenage girl. 

Her birthday is July 1. She lives in Canada with her father, after her mother died giving birth to her. Madeline, who bears a striking resemblance to her mother with her wavy golden blonde hair and deep blue eyes, inherited her father’s mild-mannered disposition. 

Madeline enjoys going to school. She is almost always at the top of her class and is often found with her nose stuck in a book. Madeline takes great pleasure in studying the languages, culture, and history of other countries. 

Despite her gentle temperament, she is competitive and fierce when it comes to her two favorite sports: hockey and lacrosse. Many opponents of hers have been left beaten and battered, whether on the ice or the field. 

However…

Madeline Williams is not a normal girl. 

* * *

It started when she was younger. Due to her shyness and hesitation to approach others, Madeline did not have friends. She would sit alone in a corner of the playground reading while the other children ran around playing games. She longed to be a part of those games but did not know how. Her teachers and father attempted to teach Madeline how to socialize with others, but their efforts were in vain. 

So it came to be that on one particular day, Madeline was no longer alone. While she was reading as usual, she felt a weight on the top of her head. Madeline’s hand automatically reached up to pat the source of this peculiar new weight. She felt something...soft? Startled, Madeline retracted her hand and felt the weight leave her head. She closed her eyes and when she opened them again, she saw a bird perching on her lap. 

“A...birdie? Birdie, why are you on my lap?” 

Madeline did not expect the bird to reply because she knew birds couldn’t talk. So imagine her surprise when her new feathered friend did exactly that. 

“Because you looked like you needed a buddy!”

That was how Madeline met her first friend, the raven she named Inkblot. Madeline knew Inkblot was special. He looked like no other raven; glowing blue patterns covered his head, back, tail, wings, and chest. His eyes shone with the same light. 

When Madeline attempted to show her teachers her new companion, they smiled and introduced themselves to the space on Madeline’s right shoulder. Inkblot perched on Madeline’s left. She came to understand that no one else but her could see Inkblot. 

Inkblot enjoyed playing pranks on anyone who isn’t Madeline. He will often take small items like hair ties, bracelets, etc. and hide them from their hapless owner until Madeline scolds him to return the belongings. Madeline’s father is not exempt from this behavior. He often finds himself missing his keys, socks, watch, etc. 

The presence of her “imaginary” friend made Madeline much happier. With Inkblot’s unwitting help, Madeline was able to approach her classmates more often. She shared lunches and stories with them, they made drawings together, and played games. Madeline had Inkblot at home, but now she had friends at school too. 

* * *

The party of two became three the next year. 

Madeline was exploring her father’s garden. She caught sight of a butterfly and attempted to catch it. As she flailed her arms around and ran after it, she shouted.

“Wait! Pretty butterfly! Please stay still! I want to show you to dad!” 

Inkblot was flying overhead, struggling to warn Madeline to slow down before she…

“Ow!”

….fell.

Madeline shakily stood up and looked around for what she tripped on. Her eyes widened and she gasped when her sight fell upon the object of her curiosity. 

It was a turtle, but not just any turtle. The turtle’s shell shone with the colors of the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, and violet. It was a beautiful sight. What was not so beautiful was the expression on the turtle’s face. 

“Hey kid, can’t you see I’m walking here?” 

Madeline felt the beginning of tears coming to her eyes.

“I’m really sorry, Mr. Turtle. I just wanted to catch that butterfly! Now I’ve gone and lost it, and clumsy old me wasn’t watching where I was going, and I tripped on your shell, and what if you’re hurt, and it’s all my fault, and….” 

“Hey, hey, hey. Stop your crying kid. It’s okay. My shell’s indestructible! It’ll take more than some tike like you to break it.”

On the turtle’s face was an expression of remorse. 

Madeline immediately brightened upon hearing the turtle’s reassurance. Her sadness was gone, replaced by a strong interest and desire for knowledge.

“What’s your name, Mr. Turtle? Why are you in my dad’s garden?”

“I’m not Mr. Turtle, kid. I don’t got a name. Never needed one. And for your information, I’m looking for a new home. Must have taken a wrong turn somewhere…”

“You don’t have a name? But everyone has a name, Mr. Turtle! What about I give you one?”

“You? Kid, please. Like I said, I’ve been fine with no name, and I don’t-”

Madeline was about to cry again.

“Alright, alright! Just stop with your waterworks kid. Fine. Give me a name. And it better be good, y’hear?”

Madeline adopted a thinking pose.

“Hm...Well, you’re really good at hiding, Mr. Turtle. How about I call you...Sneak!”

“Sneak, huh? Sneak the turtle. Has a nice ring to it.”

“Yay! Oh, and I never introduced myself. My name is Madeline. My friends call me Maddie. And speaking of friends, there’s one right there!”

Madeline excitedly pointed to a tree a distance away. Perched on the tree, silently watching the entire exchange, was Inkblot. Upon his discovery, Inkblot flew to perch on Madeline’s shoulder. 

“Yo. The name’s Inkblot. I’m Maddie’s first friend, and don’t you forget it pal.”

“Hah! Who said I want to be pals with you?!” 

So the rivalry between Inkblot the raven and Sneak the turtle began. Sneak “moved in” with Madeline and though he would never say it out loud, he grew a soft spot for her. 

* * *

Madeline’s group of magical friends continued to grow. 

When she went hiking and camping with her dad, she met a sasquatch who she dubbed Mr. Link. The aforementioned Mr. Link preferred the name Susan. Susan helped Madeline look for wood to start a campfire. While Madeline and her dad were enjoying the smores they made, she secretly snuck a few to Susan. Her dad knew she loved sweets, including pancakes and anything with maple syrup, but even he was slightly surprised how many smores his daughter could eat. 

Susan was tired of his home in the forest, so he followed Madeline all the way back to civilization. Susan became well acquainted with both Inkblot and Sneak; he preferred Sneak, who took the time to educate Susan on human inventions and customs while Madeline was away at school. 

* * *

When Madeline met “Oggy” the Ogopogo, she was swimming in the waters of Okanagan Lake as her father watched her to be safe. That day was a rare day when there weren’t many people out enjoying the warm weather, so Madeline had plenty of space to swim and frolic. Madeline was practicing holding her breath underwater when she spotted a...tail? She went up for air, took a deep breath, and dived underwater to see if she could spot the tail again. Instead of a tail, what she saw was a creature that was perhaps 9 meters (30 feet) long. It had a sleek, serpent like body, whiskers, big eyes, and flippers. The spine of its body was curved, as in the shape of waves. The ogopogo waved its flippers at Madeline in greeting, and in the blink of an eye, it was gone.

Madeline encountered Oggy later in, of all the places, her bathtub. Oggy was smaller this time around to fit the bathtub. In his regular form, Oggy most likely would have filled the entire room. Madeline had a great time blowing bubbles with Oggy. Oggy would use magic to reshape them into ships, mermaids, and wherever her imagination took her. 

Oggy could appear without a body of water, but in the water, he moved much quicker. When he was dry, Oggy tended to move slower because he was so big. As a result, Oggy kept his size to no more than five feet. He wrapped himself around Madeline’s neck if he wanted to travel with her. 

* * *

Madeline had strange dreams. 

She dreamed of a boy that looked like her. The only difference was their eyes. His eyes were violet. He was often alone, and he was sad. When Madeline woke up from her dreams, she could not recall what happened in those dreams. She only remembered the boy. 

One night, Madeline saw him again. He was running away from something, but what, she could not tell. Only darkness was discernible to her. The darkness was closing in on him. He ran and ran, but he could not outrun the shadows.

Madeline woke up in a cold sweat. She sluggishly got out of her bed and moved to the window. The moon was full tonight. Madeline admired its luminosity. 

A spark of blue caught her eye. If Madeline squinted, she could almost see a pair of eyes. The eyes stared back at her. The blue light grew brighter. Slowly, Madeline could make out a beak, feathers, and wings. It was an owl. 

She watched the owl as it flew towards her window and then tapped on the glass. Madline supposed it was asking her to let it in. So she did. 

“Hoot!” the owl called out to her. 

“Hello, my name’s Madeline. What’s yours? Or would you like me to name you?”

“Hoot!”

Madeline thought of a cartoon she had watched recently. _Peanuts_. The name of the little yellow bird was…

“Woodstock!”

“Hoot!” the owl seemed satisfied. 

“Can you talk, Woodstock?”

“Hoot!” 

Well, that was fine. Oggy couldn’t talk either. 

Woodstock flapped to Madeline’s bed and pointed his wing at her. 

“You want me to go back to sleep?”

She received an affirmative hoot in reply.

“But I had a scary nightmare...I don’t want to go back to sleep…”

In response, Woodstock only grew more luminescent. His blue light encompassed all of Madeline’s room. He was like a nightlight, but one that never needed new batteries.

Madeline felt Woodstock’s light blanketing her. It felt warm and comforting. She knew she could sleep soundly with Woodstock by her side. 

* * *

Time passed. Madeline grew older. She no longer talked to her magical friends when anyone else was around, only in private. 

As a result of her adventures with her father, Madeline developed a passion for traveling. More than that, she developed a passion for photography. Her dad invested in cameras and photography gear for her. Madeline liked taking pictures of easily overlooked subjects. _Macro photography_ , she later learned it was called. Making the miniscule larger than life. Her father helped her start a blog where she posted her pictures; she won contests. Madeline submitted photos to her local newspapers and magazines. Her passion grew with the encouragement of others around her. 

Madeline had a happy childhood. 

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to give Madeline some magical creature friends. It’ll play into the story later with England, Norway, and Romania. I was inspired by Canadian folklore. 
> 
> (You can see a picture of what they look like by going to my tumblr augustmoon259.)


	3. An End And A Beginning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Kumari" means "princess", "goddess", "cloudy", etc.

When Madeline was seventeen, her life began to go downhill. 

Her father was a former smoker. He smoked often before meeting her mother. After meeting Madeline’s mother, and subsequently falling in love with her, he vowed not to smoke again. 

He didn’t keep his promise. 

Following the death of Madeline’s mother, her father picked up smoking again, but it was far worse. He drowned his sorrows in a bottle of alcohol and a pack of cigarettes daily. It took much effort from concerned friends to make him see the error of his ways. More than that, it was the guilt. The guilt that his daughter would grow up without a father. With the loss of his wife, and no other immediate family, he was the only one who could take care of his child. 

So Madeline’s father quit smoking, for good this time. Unfortunately, no matter how much you try to outrun your past, sometimes it catches up to you.

Madeline’s father began experiencing a persistent cough that worsened as time passed. Sometimes he would have trouble breathing; other times he would cough up blood. After these continued bouts of coughing and chest pain, Madeline’s father scheduled an appointment with his doctor. The diagnosis confirmed the worst case scenario. 

It was lung cancer. Specifically, small cell lung cancer. The x-ray scans revealed that the cancer was now in its extensive stage, meaning that the tumor had grown and the cancer had spread to other parts of the body. Treatment was possible, but Madeline’s father had a low chance of survival.

When her father broke the news to her, Madeline was devastated. Her kind and dependable father, the one who was always there for her, had cancer? Not just any cancer, but lung cancer, the deadliest of all. 

Madeline’s father wanted his daughter to focus on her last year of secondary school. So she did, albeit with great reluctance. Madeline juggled school and sports while monitoring her father’s health. Her father would be in and out of the hospital frequently for his chemotherapy treatment. 

Madeline tasked her magical friends with observing and taking care of her father while he was in the hospital, and she could not be there for him. Inkblot flew to and from the hospital, updating Madeline about her father’s current condition. Susan stayed with her father and made sure that he was sleeping or eating well. 

Madeline was grateful for the presence of her friends during these troubled times. Ever since the first night she met him, Woodstock kept a constant vigil beside her while she slept. He made her feel less lonely on the nights when her father was at the hospital. Oggy was wrapped around her neck, as always, while she was at school. Sneak reminded Madeline to take care of herself and to not be overwhelmed by her emotions. She meditated and joined a support group for family members of cancer patients.

Months passed. It seemed that Madeline’s father was doing better after chemotherapy. His symptoms were less severe and he was discharged from the hospital. 

The best gift Madeline could ask for was having her father at home with her on Christmas day. That was all she needed. Instead, Madeline’s father surprised her with a polar bear cub. 

Not an actual polar bear cub. A stuffed one. It fit in her arms perfectly, with the softest fur and black marble eyes. 

Madeline felt that something was still missing though. She wasn’t sure what until she saw her reflection. Madeline usually kept her hair tied into two pigtails, with a maple leaf clip on each side of her head. 

The thing that was missing was an accessory for her new polar bear cub. With this realization, Madeline went to her room to search in her drawers. She found the object she was looking for: a pink flower-shaped hairpin. Madeline attached the pin next to the stuffed bear’s right ear. 

_ There! A flower fit for a princess. Now you look the part, but what will your name be? _

Madeline thought for a while. 

_ Princess. Are there any names that mean princess? Hime? Miki? No...It’ll have to be- _

“Kumarie!”

The name felt right for Madeline. She felt strangely nostalgic, as if the name (or something similar to it) felt familiar. 

Madeline was grateful for her father’s gift. He knew that she had a love of animals, particularly birds, polar bears, and turtles. 

The remainder of Madeline’s Christmas break progressed peacefully. She would remember those pleasant days, the calm before the storm.

* * *

The new year brought the cancer back with a vengeance. The same symptoms, along with a host of others. 

To Madeline’s distress, chemotherapy had failed her father. Madeline’s father chose to undergo other forms of treatment, and when those didn’t work, he participated in clinical trials. 

So the cycle repeated itself again. Winter turned to spring. February turned into March, which turned into April. 

Madeline found herself alone more often at home. She found herself clinging to Kumarie as she fell asleep.

Eventually, treatment was no longer an option. Madeline knew that since her father was in the later stages of his cancer, he had little to no chance of surviving, but to hear her worst fears confirmed was heartbreaking. After Christmas, she had thought that things would get better. 

Madeline could do nothing as her father deteriorated. All she could do was make sure her father’s last months were spent with no pain. Madeline made sure her father took his medication. She worked with medical and healthcare professionals to provide her father with the best hospice care. Madeline watched as her father began to lose interest in things that he used to enjoy: gardening, watching documentaries, bird watching. He slept more often and for longer periods each time. He had difficulty eating and drinking.

Her graduation came and went. Madeline was envious of her classmates whose family came to support them. She was alone once the ceremony ended. 

In the last week of June, Madeline’s father became confused and delirious. When he looked at her, she could see in his eyes that he didn’t know who she was. The ache in her heart remained until the first day of July.

When Madeline was eighteen, her father died. 

* * *

The two weeks following her father’s death were hectic. It felt like she was in a bubble, her mind elsewhere as her body focused on doing what was needed. Madeline contacted her father’s friends and told them about his death. She made arrangements for a funeral and proper burial. Madeline took care of the will, met with an attorney, and made a list of bills that needed to be paid. 

As soon as all of this was done, the bubble popped. Reality set in for Madeline. Her father was gone. She would never hear his laughter again, or eat his cooking. No more hikes, or campfire stories, or stargazing. Gone was that consistent presence throughout her life, he who had always reassured her.

Madeline was lost. She was unsure what to do with herself, where to go from here. So she fell back into old habits. Madeline shopped, she did the laundry, she cleaned the house. Everything she did only served to remind her of her father’s passing: the foods he liked to eat, his clothes that were strewn about, antiques and other collectibles her father acquired during his life. 

The garden was beginning to grow weeds. Madeline had taken care of it when her father was unable to. Now, she could not bring herself to do the same. 

She distracted herself by watching movies, TV shows, anime, and Korean dramas. The thought of going outside and seeing happy people made her queasy. Why should the world not mourn with her? It was unfair.

Inkblot, Sneak, Susan, Oggy, and Woodstock. All of them were worried about Madeline. They wanted her to go out, talk with a therapist, and process her emotions. They knew that the way she was handling herself now did no one good, least of all her. Madeline rejected them. She said she was fine. She could handle it. They were overexaggerating.

Madeline continued like this for another month. It was August. By now, the weeds had completely overtaken the garden. Madeline felt guilty. Day by day she had watched as the weeds grew inch by inch. If her poor father could see his garden, he would be disappointed in her. After her father died, Madeline had also neglected to clean his room. The room might be dusty, but it was the memories it held that threatened to overtake her. 

Madeline was cleaning the house as per usual, when she came to the door of her father’s bedroom. Madeline hesitated before opening it. The curtains were open, letting the sunlight spill in. She was correct in assuming the room would be dusty. Madeline vacuumed the floor, packed her father’s old clothes into boxes, and dusted everything else.

As she looked underneath her father’s bed, she found a chest. The chest was locked. Madeline searched her father’s desk drawers for a key. When she found it, she opened the chest. Inside of the chest was an old journal. It’s brown leather cover displayed signs of wear and tear. 

Madeline opened the journal. Its pages were completely filled out. She flipped to the last page. The date of the last entry was the day of her seventeenth birthday, before things started to go wrong. Her eyes scanned the final journal entry:

MY DEAR MADELINE, 

IF YOU ARE READING THIS, THEN I HAVE GONE.

I WISH I COULD HAVE STAYED WITH YOU LONGER. 

BUT IT WAS NOT MEANT TO BE.

SO LIVE ON.

LIVE TO SEE THE JOYS THAT LIFE CAN BRING.

FOR SORROW DOES NOT LAST FOREVER.

Tears fell from Madeline’s eyes. The salty liquid stained the pages of the journal. Madeline hugged the journal close to her chest before her legs gave way beneath her. She sat on the floor in a crouched position, the journal lying discarded as her hands made her way to her face to wipe her tears. 

The guilt came back full force. What was she doing spending her life like this when there was so much more out there for her to explore? In the wake of her father’s death, Madeline’s career as a photographer had been temporarily put on halt. She still earned money from her online store, photo prints, etc., but she had not been posting on her blog or social media. 

It was in that moment that Madeline hardened her resolve to live her life the way she wanted to. She would travel the world and meet new people, just as she always dreamed of. 

The pain would linger, for it never truly goes away, but it was no longer the only feeling in her heart. Madeline’s newfound determination fueled her. 

The rest of the day was spent taming her father’s garden. Madeline did what she could to tame it for the day, but the weed killer would do the rest. 

That night, Madeline rested in her bed, with Kumarie in her arms. Woodstock and Inkblot was perched on the headboard of her bed. Sneak and Oggy were hiding underneath the bed, while Susan was lying on the floor in a spare sleeping bag. The atmosphere was quiet and serene.

Madeline dozed off with a smile on her face. 

* * *

Eyes fluttering open, Madeline yawned as her eyes blinked blearily. Her mind adjusted itself to the sight of her room and she saw all her friends wide awake and by her bedside. They were staring at her, or rather what she still held in her hold. Madeline shot them a questioning look until she felt the object of their focus move. 

A startled gasp left her mouth as Madeline laid her eyes on a living, breathing polar bear cub.  _ What?! What is this?! Kumarie is a stuffed toy! One that’s not supposed to be moving! _

“Kumarie?!”

The bear gazed at Madeline. 

“Who?”

“Kumarie, that’s your name, isn’t it?”

The redubbed Kumarie peered at Madeline before squinting down at its paws. After a pause, it concluded, “Yeah! My name is Kumarie.”

In the back of her mind, Madeline noted that Kumarie had a cute, high pitched voice. 

There was nothing left to do but to take this new development in stride. 

“Kumarie, do you like pancakes?”

“Yes!”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For anyone who is a family member, friend, or themself going through a tough time due to cancer, my condolences. If you have lost a loved one due to cancer, my heart goes out to you. I tried researching and making the symptoms and stages of lung cancer accurate. Everyone has a different way of mourning or grieving, so I hope Madeline’s behavior does not come across as odd.


	4. Alfred F. Jones

Madeline assumed that magical friends who only she could see, and a pet polar bear cub who used to be a stuffed animal were the end of her oddities. 

She had assumed wrong.

The day after Kumarie had become a real bear started off normally compared to its predecessor. Madeline woke up groggily, searched for her glasses, and when she found them, proceeded to make her way to the bathroom. Too focused on squirting out just the right amount of toothpaste, she nearly dropped her toothbrush in shock when she finally looked up at the mirror. 

Reflected back at her were not the deep blue Madeline had been used to for the past eighteen years. Instead, she saw violet. 

Madeline took off her glasses, rubbed her eyes, and proceeded to put them back on. Nothing changed. Madeline’s eyes were still that unusual but evocative color. 

Her father had always told her he loved the blue eyes she got from her mother. Truthfully, Madeline never knew what to make of that statement. She had heard stories of her mother from her father: a passionate and adventurous woman, a force to be reckoned with, and one that gave her love freely. Madeline loved her father and his stories, but to her, her mother was still a stranger. The blue of her eyes never seemed quite right to Madeline.

Now, examining her new eyes in the mirror again, Madeline felt she had regained a part of herself she was unaware she had lost.

* * *

As it turns out, she also had super strength now. 

Madeline was trying to open a pickle jar so she could make a sandwich for her lunch. Pickle jars were notoriously hard to open and she had already exhausted her other options: using a spoon, running the jar under hot water, etc. 

In a moment of frustration, Madeline attempted to simply just pry the lid off of the jar. To her surprise, she succeeded...a little too much. The lid came off, at the expense of cracking the jar. Luckily for Madeline, the jar did not crack entirely. Enough to keep the pickles safely inside and to avoid a mess for her to clean up. 

Even with her annoyance fueling her, there was no way Madeline should have been able to open the pickle jar that easily. For the rest of the day, she practiced with her newfound strength. Soon enough, Madeline was able to control how much strength she used and for what. She could now do tasks ranging from squeezing an entire apple with her bare hands, to carrying her sofa up and down the stairs. 

Inkblot, Sneak, Oggy, Susan, and Woodstock were just as clueless as her as to how her eyes suddenly changed colors, or why she had inexplicably gained super strength. Madeline chose not to pursue the matter further. Too many strange happenings had occurred to her in the span of a little over two days. 

It was really no use trying to wrap her head around it all. The violet eyes she could pass off as contacts, but super strength is in no way a common, everyday event.

There were more important matters to deal with. Her father’s RV was still in perfect condition, but Madeline’s job was to make sure it was fully stocked. It had all the amenities like a kitchen, bathroom, laundry and dryer machine. What she needed was cooking supplies, clothing, toiletries, etc. Madeline was planning on traveling a couple of months, if not longer.

Then there was making sure the house was well taken care of while she was gone. Madeline had no issues with entrusting her neighbors to clean the house or mow the lawn every once in a while.

Come September, Madeline was ready to go. She had all the documents she needed to cross the border. Kumarie could turn back into a stuffed bear when the occasion called for it (how Madeline discovered this is a story for another day). Truly, this was for the best. Madeline did not relish the thought of explaining to the border services officer why she was traveling with a bear.

With wanderlust in her heart and optimism for the future, Madeline set out on the beginning of a new adventure.

* * *

Traveling through several U.S. states after crossing the Canada-United States border, Madeline saw it all. From the splendour and beauty of national parks to the urban life of populous cities. U.S. cities are drastically different from their Canadian counterparts. Madeline was grateful she had brought her bike along, but she also made sure to acquaint herself with the local forms of public transportation. 

Another month had passed and the moderate temperatures of September turned into the cooler temps of October. Vibrant green foliage transformed into pleasant reds, oranges, and yellows. 

The beginning of October found Madeline in Maryland. She had booked a week of her trip to stay at the famous Cherry Hill Park. Splitting her time at the park and in nearby Washington D.C., she and her magical friends thoroughly enjoyed their time sightseeing. 

Inkblot, Sneak, Oggy, Susan, and Woodstock had never been outside of Canada before. Therefore, it was a new experience for them just as much as it was for Madeline. They saw all the famous landmarks, took a guided tour of the city, and had the pleasure to meet fellow tourists and friendly residents. All the while, Madeline took plenty of pictures. Her camera gear was safely stored away in her camera backpack, along with snacks, water, and whatever else she needed. 

The last day of Madeline’s week was spent exploring the National Mall. Daytime ended as the sun set, ushering in the night. Washington D.C. was beautiful after dark. 

Madeline was walking to the nearest metro stop from the mall. Despite it being nighttime, she wasn’t worried. She had taken self defense classes back in Canada, and that, paired with her strength, made her a force to be reckoned with. 

Her loyal companions kept an eye out for any would be criminals. Madeline had sent Sneak, Susan, and Oggy back to the RV, but Inkblot and Woodstock stayed with her. They’d warn her upon noticing any would be criminals, and attack them if necessary to defend Madeline. 

Just after turning a corner into another street, she saw  **it** happening. A man, clad all in black and hiding his face with a ski mask, dragging a lone woman into an alleyway. The woman’s fear stricken face soon disappeared from Madeline’s view. 

The sight of the unfolding crime left her shaken.  _ What’s going on? _ , Madeline thought.  _ Is this a robbery? An assault? _ She hadn’t been prepared for this. Madeline could defend herself, but she hadn’t planned on saving someone else’s life.  _ I have to do something! Now! Every minute that passes, that man could kill this woman! Or something far worse… _

This thought was what finally spurred Madeline to action. She sent Inkblot and Woodstock to examine the area, just in case the criminal had backup. Meanwhile, she’d deal with the lowlife herself. 

Dim lighting and an empty street helped Madeline creep undetected to the alleyway. When she risked a peek, she saw the robber had knocked the woman out and was currently rifling through her purse. His back was facing Madeline. 

She used his momentary distraction to approach him. With crouched legs and slow but steady breathing, Madeline managed to place herself right behind him. Immediately, she locked her arms around the robber’s neck and placed him in a sleeper choke hold. After fifteen seconds, the robber lost consciousness. 

Madeline took out a roll of duct tape from her backpack. She duct taped the robber’s mouth and made sure to wrap his wrists and hands at least four times. Madeline was about to duct tape the robber’s legs together when she was interrupted by a voice.

“Need some help with that?”

Observing her from the entrance of the alleyway was a man who looked to be around her age, although he was taller than her. He was 177 cm (5'9.6") compared to her 162.3 cm (5’4”). He had short blond hair, a prominent cowlick, and sky blue eyes that stared at her behind his glasses. He wore dark jeans, a black undershirt, and a blue and white letterman jacket with matching sneakers. The sleeves of his jacket were decorated with space motifs: a rocketship, stars, and a UFO.

“My name’s Alfred F. Jones. Can I have yours, Ms. Heroine?”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact, a “camera backpack” is different from a regular backpack. There are several pockets/compartments to place your camera and camera gear, so your camera isn’t bouncing around like in a regular backpack. 
> 
> Matthew is about as tall as Alfred, and the average height for a Canadian male is 5'9", so I'm making Madeline's height 5'4", the average female height in Canada.


	5. To Meet Again

Time stopped abruptly for Madeline. Her mouth hung open in shock as she stared at Alfred.  _ Where did he come from?! _ , she thought.  _ I didn’t see anyone else on the streets! _

Another awkward moment passed as they continued to stare at each other. Finally, Alfred broke the silence. 

“You okay, dudette?”

His question pulled Madeline from her increasingly panicked thoughts. She answered in a tone that was more doubtful than confident. 

“I, um...uh...yeah! I’m fine....Totally fine...Why wouldn’t I be fine...” 

Madeline trailed off with an uncomfortable chuckle. 

Alfred seemed to notice her uncertainty as he carefully approached her. His eyes never left Madeline’s. When he stopped in front of her and the unconscious robber, an unreadable expression flashed across his face, before being replaced by a small smile. 

“Sorry if I scared you, but you still haven’t introduced yourself yet. It’s not everyday you see someone knocking out a robber in fifteen seconds.”

“You, um, you saw that…?”

“Yep. Don’t worry. I would have gotten involved if things took a turn for the worse, but you looked like you could handle it.”

“Oh, okay...and, my name is Madeline...Madeline Williams…”

When he heard her name, Alfred hesitated. He adopted a thinking pose before quipping, “Madeline? Madeline the Heroine. Sounds pretty cool, right?”

Despite herself, Madeline smiled. Alfred’s bright grin was contagious.

“Yeah. It does sound cool.”

Alfred looked appeased when he heard her reply. He crouched, asking for the duct tape Madeline still held in her hands, which she gave him. After securing the robber’s legs, Alfred returned the tape to Madeline’s backpack. He studied the contents of her bag interestingly. 

“You’re a photographer?”

“Yeah, I am.”

“Cool! I’ll have to check out your work sometime.”

Madeline was happy to hear this. She was still slightly wary of Alfred, but as they continued to talk, she realized he wasn’t such a bad guy.

As he stood up, Alfred offered his hand to Madeline. She accepted his hand, and both of them observed the scene in the alleyway: a thoroughly bound robber and his still unconscious victim. 

“Well, now that that’s taken care of, time to call in the po-po!”

Just as Alfred was about to retrieve his cellphone from the pocket of his jeans, Madeline stopped him.

“Wait...Alfred...Is there any chance you can leave me out of this?”

Alfred was perplexed.

“But why? Don’t you want a reward for stopping the robber?”

“I don’t need it...That’s not why I stopped him. I did it to save that woman’s life.” 

Alfred stared intensely at Madeline before his eyes softened. In a quiet voice, he said, “You really are a hero, aren’t you?”

“Does that mean you’ll do it?”

Her pleading expression caused Alfred to laugh and then ruffle her hair. 

“If you keep looking at me like that, I have no choice but to!” A mischievous look appeared on Alfred’s face. “You have to do something for me though!”

The momentary relief Madeline felt evaporated. Nervously, she asked Alfred what he wanted from her. Alfred grabbed a mini notepad and pen from his jacket pocket. He scribbled something on it before tearing the page and giving it to Madeline. When she glanced at the paper, she saw an address. Madeline waited for Alfred to explain himself.

“This is my home address! I want you to visit me!”

A beaming Alfred stared at an amazed Madeline.

“You...want me...to visit you?”

“Yes! I want to get to know you more, your likes and dislikes, and maybe we can even be...friends…?”

Rubbing the back of his head with one hand, he closed his eyes and smiled. 

Madeline contemplated Alfred’s words.  _ I owe Alfred for keeping my involvement in this situation a secret….Besides, I wonder what his home is like? _

“Okay Alfred. You win. I accept your proposal.”

Alfred cheered and offered to walk with Madeline to the metro. She declined, said her goodbyes to Alfred, and left the alleyway.

* * *

After reuniting with Woodstock and Inkblot, Madeline got on the train and watched through the window as the surroundings blurred past her. There were a few other passengers in her compartment, but the ride to her last stop was quiet and uneventful. Madeline got off at College Park station to board the bus back to Cherry Hill Park. 

During her trip back to the campground, Madeline contemplated the night’s chaotic events. She couldn’t help but wonder what would have happened if that robber hadn’t been so easily distracted. In that scenario, Madeline could have still taken him down, but it’d be easier with Alfred’s help.

_ Alfred. What a strange guy.  _

Why was he so friendly to her? He even agreed to keep their nighttime escapade under wraps. Madeline blushed faintly when she remembered what Alfred had called her: hero.

When she finally made it to her RV, Sneak, Susan, and Oggy were waiting for her. They somehow knew that Madeline had gotten herself into some kind of trouble. Sheepishly, she recounted her adventure, and endured the subsequent admonishments from her friends.

Madeline fell asleep simultaneously dreading and looking forward to the next morning.

* * *

In her dream, she became “Matthew” again. Never before had she met other people in her dreams, but that was about to change. 

Madeline examined herself. She wore a white tunic that came down to her knees, stockings, and leather shoes. The collar of her tunic was adorned with a blue ribbon. 

She was unaware of what was transpiring in her dream. Madeline had a gut feeling though that she was supposed to be meeting someone.

Her ears pricked up when she heard something running towards her. As it got closer, Madeline saw that it was a boy. 

The fast pace at which he ran meant that crashing into each other was unavoidable. Madeline and the boy groaned but the boy recovered first. He helped Madeline stand up and then bombarded her with enthusiastic greetings and apologies.

“You’re Matthew, right? You look just like me! Sorry for bumping into you, but let’s be friends! Let’s be friends!”

The boy jumped excitedly up and down. He danced around Madeline, whose head was still spinning from the fall. As her vision cleared, she saw her companion clearly for the first time.

He...looked exactly like Alfred. Albeit a younger Alfred, with no glasses. Small Alfred wore the same outfit as her, although his ribbon was red instead of blue.

Had they met before? Alfred had called her “Matthew” though. This was a mystery to ponder for when she woke up. 

  
  



	6. Coffee, Cats, and Other Conversations

The ringing of her alarm clock abruptly woke Madeline up. She yawned and got out of bed to open the curtains of her window. 

As Madeline expected, the sun was rising. It was 7 A.M. and the sky was bathed in swathes of bronze, orange and yellow.

She performed her regular morning routines and made preparations to leave the park: throwing away trash, dumping out the holding tanks, filling up the freshwater tanks, etc. 

It took two hours before Madeline got on the road. It would take 45 minutes more until she got to Alfred’s home. Kumarie was snoozing away, while her other nonhuman friends found various ways to occupy themselves.

When she found the address where Alfred’s home was located, Madeline was taken aback. Alfred’s home was a lot  **grander** than she had expected: a huge house with two chimneys, a gated entryway, and a beautiful front yard. If this was the outside, she could only imagine what the inside looked like.

Madeline left her friends in the parked RV as she made her way to Alfred’s front door. The gate had been open, so she supposed Alfred was already awake. She rang the doorbell and waited for a response.

Less than a minute later, Madeline heard the sound of footsteps pounding towards the door. She had the foresight to step away just in time before Alfred slammed the door open.

“Maddie! You’re finally here! We are going to have the best time today!”

Alfred was wearing a white hoodie, with a curious design on it: a green blob wearing glasses and sporting a cheeky smile. The blob resembled the Japanese rice cake, aka “mochi”. Aside from his oddly charming hoodie, Alfred wore simple sweatpants and a pair of slippers.

Grinning from ear to ear as he escorted her to his living room, Alfred walked with a spring in his step. Madeline was surprised Alfred had already given her a nickname, but she didn’t really mind. From behind him, Madeline noticed several things about Alfred’s house.

The interior was cozy. She wondered if Alfred enjoyed collecting antiques like her father once had. Old rugs, paintings, and even a grandfather clock decorated Alfred’s abode. 

Lost in thought as she was, Madeline failed to notice when Alfred and her arrived at his living room. She was brought back to reality with a question from Alfred.

“Hey Maddie, did you eat breakfast? If not, do you want some leftover muffins? Or maybe something to drink?”

Hurriedly, Madeline rejected Alfred’s offer.

“Oh no, you really don’t have to! I already ate…”

Alfred would not take no for an answer.

“Are you sure? You seem a little spaced out.”

Embarrassed, Madeline conceded. She asked Alfred if he could make something for her with maple. Alfred had an odd expression on his face as he heard her say “maple”. He shook his head and left the room to go make coffee.

With nothing else to do until Alfred returned, Madeline fell back into her observations. Not long after however, she could feel something rubbing against her legs. Looking down, Madeline was greeted with the sight of a cat. 

From its white and fluffy fur, she surmised it to be a ragamuffin cat. The long fur around its neck was dark, and it had thin semicircle markings under its eyes. 

The unnamed cat purred as it continued to rub its head against her legs. Madeline pet its head and felt any residual stress she harbored disappear. 

By the time Alfred came back, the cat had made itself home on Madeline’s lap. Alfred didn’t seem surprised. 

“I see you’ve met Bucky! He’s a real friendly cat, kinda like me, hehe!”

“Bucky? As in, Bucky Barnes? Captain America’s best friend?”

“The one and only! Every hero needs a partner!”

Alfred placed a mug down on the table between him and Madeline.

“One maple latte, for the lovely lady!”

She made sure to place Bucky safely on the floor before she grabbed the coffee mug. Madeline took a hesitant sip and let out a contented sigh.

“Wow...a little cinnamon or maybe gingerbread and this would be perfect.”

“Really? I thought it was odd you asked for maple, but you must really like sweets?”

Madeline nodded as she took another sip of her mug. 

“So what else do you like? You play any sports, or got any hobbies?”

“Oh, well...I like reading books. Biographies, history, fantasy, action, adventure...That’s probably why I also like reading manga and watching anime. I used to play hockey and lacrosse in high school too.”

After her brief explanation, Madeline awkwardly attempted to hide her face behind her mug. Alfred reached over and gently pushed her arm down. He looked amused. 

“Hey, don’t be shy. I like anime and manga too! I love talking about it with one of my buddies from work. He’s the one who gave me this hoodie!”

“Work? That’s right. You know I’m a photographer, but what’s your job, Alfred?”

“Hm, I guess you can say I work in foreign affairs? Basically, I meet with a bunch of officials from other countries and we discuss a lot of topics together. It’s not as important as ambassador, or minister, stuff like that, which is probably why you don’t really hear about my job.”

“Oh! That’s really cool, Alfred!”

Now it was Alfred’s turn to look sheepish. The two of them continued to talk until they ran out of coffee. While Alfred was getting refills, Bucky wandered back into the living room. He was playing with a ball that was as big as he was. Madeline had fun rolling the ball around and seeing Bucky chase after it. 

Alfred returned with the coffee. As he and Madeline watched Bucky, they chatted about their birthdays, video games, and other topics that interested them. 

They went out for lunch to a pizza restaurant Madeline had yet to visit. When they finished their food, they returned to Alfred’s for a movie marathon (horror movies are apparently very bad for Alfred’s health).

Madeline decided to stay the night at Alfred’s. She remembered to grab Kumarie from her RV before going to sleep. 

Younger Alfred continued to frequent her dreams. Madeline had asked Alfred if he had any pictures from when he was a kid, but he had none on hand. It was unfortunate, but she’d have to hope that Alfred had friends or family who kept photos of him.

The following morning, Madeline exchanged phone numbers with Alfred. She said her goodbyes and left, promising him she’d be back in a few weeks for Halloween.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's no canon name for America cat, so I chose Bucky. Other options included Hero, Snoopy, and Mickey. America cat's breed is also not confirmed, so I decided it would be a ragamuffin cat. Ragamuffins are known to be affectionate, friendly, and gentle. Maine coons are also gentle, but are more independent and intelligent.


	7. Battlefield of the Mind

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No excuse for being two months late to update the story (whoops), but at least it's a two chapter update.

Alfred knew a lot about the places Madeline visited. He answered all her questions, to the point where he became her “unofficial” tour guide. During her video chats with Alfred, he’d teach her interesting facts about local history, native flora and fauna, or fun things she could do in those areas. 

After a busy day of travel and sightseeing, she’d unwind by playing games with Alfred. They visited each other’s islands in Animal Crossing, went on adventures together in Minecraft, and battled it out in Mario Kart (Alfred was a bit of a sore loser, but she thought it was cute). 

Weeks passed by like this, until it was almost time for Madeline to return to D.C. Before that, Alfred informed her of a reenactment going on of a battle from the American Revolutionary War. This experience would be her first, as Madeline had never been a spectator to a historical reenactment.

The reenactment took place in Virginia, which was a few hours drive from D.C. She figured she’d be able to watch the reenactment and make it back by nightfall to Alfred’s. Madeline had procured a Halloween costume beforehand, so she’d get to spend the day with Alfred. The two of them had agreed on a “fairy tale” theme because Alfred wanted to participate in a costume contest together. 

Madeline was easily able to locate the reenactment site. There was a crowd of onlookers roped off from the reenactors. The “soldiers” in blue and red respectively were bustling about in and out of tents, or riding on horses. She noticed reenactors who were cooks, nurses, and drummers also. The scale and dedication of the reenactment was impressive. 

Excitement and anticipation were prevalent in the air as the reenactors began to set up for battle. Madeline found herself swept up in the crowd’s enthusiasm, leaving her unprepared for the first gunshot. 

It was **loud**. Realistically, she knew that those weren’t real firearms. No one would be harmed in the battle; but as Madeline found herself counting more “dead” bodies on the ground, she flinched. Her palms were sweaty, her heart rate increased, and her breathing sped up. 

_Why didn’t anyone else in the crowd seem bothered?_ To them, this was nothing more than entertainment. _Why wasn’t she the_ **_same?_ ** Madeline focused on getting her breathing under control. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath in, and a deep breath out. Slowly but surely, the beat of her heart returned to its normal rhythm. 

She had no idea how much time passed before she opened her eyes. The reenactment was over. Madeline was relieved that no one had taken note of her strange behavior. She returned to her RV in low spirits. 

Inkblot, Sneak, Susan, Oggy, and Woodstock took note of her despondency. When she told them what had happened, they freaked out. Super strength, changing eye colors, weird dreams, and now a panic attack? Madeline knew one thing for sure; she’d be avoiding historical reenactments in the near future. 

The drive to Alfred’s was quiet. Madeline didn’t feel the need to talk when the atmosphere was this heavy. Kumarie laid in her lap the entire time as reassurance. When she arrived at Alfred’s house, she took a moment ro regain her composure. _Deep breaths in, deep breaths out. You can do this. Think of happy thoughts._ **_Don’t_ ** _let Alfred know about what happened._

Madeline texted Alfred of her arrival and waited for him to open the door in his usual boisterous manner. She was not disappointed.

“Yo, Maddie! You’re here! How was the reenactment?!”

She hoped her smile was convincing as she told Alfred, “Oh, it was amazing! The reenactors were so authentic! Thank you so much for recommending this to me Alfred!”

“Haha, no problem! The best way to learn about stuff is seeing for yourself!”

Alfred gave Madeline a thumbs up. 

“Let’s go setup the guest room! You must be totally drained after all that driving!”

Madeline followed Alfred to the room that she’s been sleeping in while staying at his house. She had once again brought along Kumarie to sleep with; she’d need her after today’s events. 

Alfred left Madeline with a quick good night and she was left alone. She brushed her teeth and changed into her sleepwear: an old number 70 red and white hockey jersey, and plaid white-pink flannel pants. Madeline got in bed, wrapped the blanket tightly around her and Kumarie, and closed her eyes hoping for the best. 

* * *

She was pacing. _Matthew_ was pacing. She was outside of an office and shouting could be heard from inside. There were two voices and neither seemed wanting to concede to the other. Finally, the door opens, only to be slammed closed soon after. 

Alfred had stepped out of the office. He seems older than he appeared before, in her dreams. He was no longer a child, but almost a teen. Madeline and Alfred were not the same height anymore; rather, he seemed to be about a head taller than her. 

As Alfred stormed down the hallway, Madeline wordlessly followed after. She listened as he fumed and ranted about whatever argument had gone on inside the office.

“Ugh, I can’t believe Arthur! Doesn’t he realize I want to be independent?! I’m not that little kid he’s raised for so many years! Why won’t he just let me be?!”

 _Arthur? Who is Arthur? And why does it feel like she somehow already knows?_ Madeline’s train of thought was interrupted when Alfred spun around and leaned down to clasp her hands in his. 

“Mattie! You agree with me, don’t you? Arthur’s a jerk, isn’t he?!”

She was flustered as she attempted to provide an answer.

“Al, don’t you think you’re overreacting...? Arthur is a good guardian...He’s been taking care of the both of us for so many years...Why do you want to leave so quickly...?”

“Why? Why?! Because there’s a whole world for me to explore, Mattie! Adventures to go on, new people to meet! And I can’t do that stuck under Arthur’s roof!”

Alfred had let go of her hands sometime during his impromptu speech. He turned around and walked away. Madeline wanted to stop him from leaving, but could only watch as his image got further and further.

Her surroundings shift to a battlefield. 

Smoke clouds fill the air and obscure her vision; she breathes in the smell of gunpowder and iron. 

There’s a musket in Madeline’s hands and she’s shooting. The soldiers in blue are downed by her shots. To her right and left, her fellow soldiers in red suffer a similar fate. The lucky ones are shot in places like the knee or the shoulder; the others don’t survive to tell the tale.

She’s panting, fighting off exhaustion. Madeline keeps moving, keeps firing, because no one that died on this battlefield will die in _vain_. 

There’s cannons going off, explosions that rock the ground beneath her feet, as she struggles to regain balance and-

* * *

“Hey! Wake up! Maddie! Wake up!”

Madeline wakes up and seats bolt upright in bed, terrified by her dream. She’s sweating and her eyes dart around frantically to find who or what woke her up. Alfred is sitting on the edge of her bed, hands in the air in a placating manner.

“...Alfred...?”

Alfred’s hands are still in front of him as he reassures her, “Maddie! It’s okay...you’re okay now, alright? You’re safe. You’re not in a dream anymore...You’re in your bedroom. Nothing’s gonna hurt you. I’m here for you.”

“But...but I was _there_ ...and it’s my fault they’re _dead_...and-”

“Woah, woah, woah!” 

Alfred wags a finger in Madeline’s face.

“No more of that! This boat runs on happy faces! Can you give me a happy face?”

She is momentarily stunned before she ducks her head. When she raises it, a weak smile is on her face.

“Hm...Nice try, but you’ll have to try harder than that!”

Alfred snaps his fingers and points at Madeline.

“I have just the thing to cheer you up! Wait here!”

He rushes off and Madeline anxiously waits for him to come back. When Alfred returns, he’s holding Bucky in his arms. 

“Look! It’s Bucky!” 

“Oh, I can see that Alfred, but why did you bring him here?”

“Don’t you know? Cats help with a lot of stuff, like loneliness, anxiety, and depression! In other words, he’ll keep you company while you’re sleeping!”

Alfred plops Bucky on the bed. Then he tells Madeline funny stories about Bucky, his first week with Alfred, etc. Sometime during all of this, Madeline dozed off with a small smile on her face. She was not awake to see Alfred tuck her hair behind her ear, and leave her room with a satisfied grin. 

  
  
  



	8. Trick, or Treat?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here, have your obligatory Halloween special chapter.

Madeline wakes up and reaches for her phone laying on the nightstand. It’s 8 am. As her awareness returns to her, she sees Bucky and Kumarie playing together. Madeline’s lips quirk up as she gives both of them a quick pet on the head before going to start her day.

After brushing her teeth, Madeline heads to the kitchen. She expected to see Alfred there, as he had told her that he was an early riser. Contrary to Madeline’s expectations, Alfred was nowhere to be found. It had only been 20 minutes since she woke up, so Madeline decided to cook breakfast for her and Alfred.

Madeline wiped sweat off her forehead as she observed the results of her labor: fluffy pancakes topped with butter and maple syrup, crispy strips of bacon, wholesome fruit parfaits, and freshly made coffee. Madeline’s stomach growled, but it would have to wait until she found Alfred.

It was almost 9:30 now but still there was no sign of the house’s owner. Madeline surmised that Alfred was still sleeping in his room. She felt a pang of guilt at the thought that he had gone to sleep late because of her. Madeline made her way to Alfred’s room. She was just about to knock on his door when it opened from inside.

“Hey Maddie…” Alfred yawned as he greeted Madeline. “What’s up...? Is it morning time already....?”

“Oh! Yes! I was just about to wake you up actually. I made breakfast.”

Alfred seemed to be more alert after he heard her statement.

“Woah! You made breakfast?! Now I gotta hurry up and eat it!”

He rushes off, leaving Madeline feeling bemused. Alfred is already sitting at the dining table when she returns to the kitchen, making her wonder if he even took the time to brush his teeth.

As if he read her mind, Alfred beams as he remarks, “Don’t worry! I brushed my teeth! Now let’s dig in!”

Alfred grabs his fork and chews on a large bite of his pancakes. His eyes widen as he prepares to eat another. 

“Wow, this tastes amazing! You’re a great cook Maddie!”

Madeline blushes as she plays with her food. 

“No problem Al...Consider this thanks for helping me after my nightmare yesterday..."

There’s a gasp from Alfred as he momentarily stops eating.

“No way! You called me Al! You’ve been calling me Alfred up until now!”

“Well, yeah...You already call me Maddie, so I might as well call you by a nickname too, right?”

“Yay! Mission: Become Friends with Maddie has officially been completed!” Alfred stands up and does a short victory dance before sitting back down. “And you don’t have to worry about yesterday. That’s what friends do!”

Madeline’s heart felt light as she and Alfred continued to talk and enjoy breakfast together. 

When they finished, Alfred was ready to start the day. 

“Okay Maddie! You know the costume I asked you to get? You can go put it on now! We’re gonna be in costume all day!”

So Madeline went to do exactly that. Half an hour later, as she finished dressing herself, she examined her reflection in the mirror. Madeline had braided her hair into a pair of 3-strand braids, one on each side of her head. She wore an open-fronted gown which laced closed across a kirtle. The outer fabric matched the red of her bodice, while the rest was white. Madeline’s skirt went down to her mid-calf, underneath which she wore white leggings and black old-fashioned buckle shoes. To complete her look, she wore a long red hooded cloak and carried an empty wicker basket.

Satisfied with her appearance, Madeline made her way to Alfred’s room for the second time that day. As before, when she was prepared to knock, he startled her by opening the door first. 

“Maddie! Can you guess what I am?”

Alfred wore pants that were tattered at the edges; his shirt was in a similar condition, frayed at the bottom. Alfred’s bright blonde hair was covered by a brown wig and his face obscured by a wolf mask. The upper half of his face could no longer be seen; Alfred’s cerulean eyes stared at her through his mask. A wolf pelt was thrown around his shoulders. Madeline spotted wolf ears on top of his head and a fluffy tail behind him.

“Hm...Are you...the Big Bad Wolf?”

“That’s right! I am! Isn’t it just great we ended up in matching costumes?”

“But Al, don’t you like heroes? The Big Bad Wolf isn’t exactly a hero..."

Alfred gives her a sly wink in return. “You’ll just have to find out why I chose this costume then, huh?” 

He checks the time on his phone. 

“Let’s see...It’s about eleven, so we have some time before our first stop of the day.” Alfred looks up and grins at her. “Do you want to visit my favorite cafe?”

* * *

The two of them had a great time visiting museums, going on scavenger hunts, taking pictures with others in costume, and more. 

The highlight of Madeline’s day so far was the National Air and Space Museum. Alfred loved space, so it was unsurprising that he would take her there. Some of the Star Wars costumes impressed her, almost as much as the actual museum exhibitions themselves. They had taken a break afterwards to eat the food they had bought at the cafe: Halloween themed foods like bat tortilla chips with mango salsa, spider pizzas, pumpkin deviled eggs, etc. 

Finally, it was time for the last event of the day, the Night of the Living Zoo at the Smithsonian National Zoological Park. 

The zoo was decked out in Halloween decorations: lights, skeletons, witches, and cobwebs. There were a range of spectacular performances, from fire eaters to jugglers. Alfred and Madeline met dancing dinosaurs, Jessie and James from Team Rocket, and even had the chance to spectate a wedding (it wasn’t real of course).

Alfred was incredibly enthusiastic when they visited the animal exhibits.

_“Maddie! Look! Caiman lizards! Sleeping on that rock! They’re super chilling, together! Buddies!”_

_“Oh hey, look at those turtles! It’s a turtle party! Turtle party, turtle party, who’s got the pizza for a turtle party?!”_

_“Look at this one! Hm, what’re they called? ...Rock hyrax? Nah, I’m calling him Mr. Cheeks...Oh no! Mr. Cheeks doesn’t look very happy with me!”_

If the night had ended there, Madeline would have been satisfied. She didn’t know what could possibly top Alfred’s amusing commentary. 

She and Alfred ended up in the crowd that was gathered around a stage. The stage, previously used for band performances and live karaoke, was now the platform for the last event of the night, the Halloween costume contest. The announcer explained that there were several categories, ranging from the “most unique” costume to “best duo”. 

Unlike the other categories, wherein contestants would line up on stage and the audience could cast their vote for best costume, the duo category required a story. In other words, the duos have to create a short narrative and perform it in front of the audience. The “best duo” were judged not only on the originality of their costumes, but how well they performed together.

Madeline was extremely nervous. She knew that she and Alfred would be competing together, but not like this! 

“Alfred, what do we do? We don’t have a story!”

“Maddie, it’s okay! I got a plan. All you have to do is act like your usual self.”

“But-”

“Trust me!” 

Without his mask, Alfred’s puppy dog eyes, combined with his ears and tail, made Madeline capitulate. 

“Okay. I trust you.”

Alfred smiled one of his enigmatic smiles and disappeared somewhere alone. Madeline wrung her hands together as other duos performed. She and Alfred were the last to go, and soon it would be their turn. 

The announcement that it was now time for them to perform startled Madeline out of her trance. She was surprised to see the appearance of the stage. Projection technology had transformed it from a normal outdoor stage to a tranquil forest...and did she hear the sound of chirping birds? Buzzing insects, croaking frogs, and bubbling brooks? 

Puzzled, but mustering up her courage, Madeline stepped out onto the stage. Reminding herself of the fairytales she grew up on, she pretended that she was Red Riding Hood herself. Madeline twirled her skirt and hummed. She pretended to walk and pick up flowers to place in her basket. She sat down and closed her eyes, as if resting underneath a tree.

With her eyes shut and the ambient noises of nature, Madeline could believe she was actually in a forest. There was no crowd watching her, just her and the trees.

Moments passed before she felt like something was...poking her face? Could it be Alfred? She jerked her eyes open and stared at what was disturbing her rest.

It was Alfred, but he was on all fours as he scrambled away from her. He put as much distance as he could between the two of them.

Madeline reached her hands out to stop him from escaping altogether. 

“Wait! I didn’t mean to scare you! I’m sorry!”

Alfred paused. He was growling softly and looked like he would run away again. Madeline approached him slowly, until she was close enough to touch him. She rested her hand on his head, and Alfred stopped growling. 

Madeline lowered herself to give Alfred a hug. She felt the moment when Alfred hugged her back. She removed her arms to look at Alfred. He was no longer on all fours, but kneeling like her. 

“Do you have a name?”

Alfred shook his head. 

“Well, my name is Madeline. Do you mind if I call you Wolf?” 

He nodded.

“Wolf, do you want to be friends?”

Alfred nods again. 

“Alright Wolf. Since we’re friends, let’s not be afraid of each other, okay? Here, let me hug you again.”

So Madeline did. This time, Alfred accepted her hug readily. 

“Friends care about each other. They show that they care about each other by doing things like that.”

As she was preparing to stand up, Alfred grabbed the hem of her skirt. Madeline watched as he dug his hands into one of his pants pockets to search for something. From Alfred’s pocket emerged a single yellow dandelion.

He offered the dandelion to her unsurely. She stared at it before clasping her hands around his to take it. Madeline placed it behind her right ear. 

“Thank you Wolf. Now come on! Let’s explore the forest together.”

She held his hand as they left the stage.

* * *

They won the contest.

Madeline was happy they did, but after their performance, she had not stopped rambling and questioning Alfred. Did he plan all of this? How’d he know she’d react that way? Alfred would laugh and tell her that he “knew she could do it!”. She’d be mad at him for putting her on the spot like that, but they did get a free pair of tickets for admission to Six Flags...

When all was said and done, it had been a memorable night for Madeline. People had even asked for autographs from her! Madeline was thankful Alfred had made this the best Halloween she’d ever had. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can find art of Madeline and Alfred in their Halloween costumes on my tumblr. :)


End file.
